Bracket for packaging electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A bracket for packaging electrical connectors includes a base, a cover and a number of posts for assembling the cover to the base. The base and the cover each form a number of spaces corresponding to each other so that the space of the base and the corresponding space of the cover jointly form a compartment for accommodating an electrical connector therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bracket, and more particularly to a bracket in which a plurality of socket connectors are securely and well-organized between a cover and a base.

2. Description of Related Art

Central Processing Unit (CPU) and other electrical package, generally referred to as IC package, commonly works via an electrical connector mounted on a printed circuit board, which includes at least a socket with a number of contacts for electrical connection with the IC package and securing means for fastening the IC package. Generally, the finished sockets are put into packaging bags and packed in boxes when transport to system manufacturers. Due to the fact that these sockets are susceptible not only to possible displacement during the shipping but as well as to physical damage such as scratching, the sockets must be well protected rather than packed by the bags and the boxes.

Thus, there is a need to provide a bracket that overcomes the above-mentioned problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a bracket for properly holding the electrical connector so that the electrical connectors received therein are well protected.

In order to obtain the object, a bracket for packaging electrical connectors comprises a base, a cover and a plurality of posts for interconnecting the cover to the base. The base has a bottom plate and a plurality of beams and sidewalls. The beams and sidewalls form a plurality of lower spaces. The cover comprises a plurality of beams and sidewalls. The beams and sidewalls form a plurality of upper spaces corresponding to the lower spaces so that the lower space of the base and the corresponding upper space of the cover jointly form a compartment for accommodating an electrical connector therein.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bracket for packaging electrical connectors according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the bracket shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another exploded view of the electrical connector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of one circle portion shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the other circle portion shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the base and the electrical connector; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the rectangular section shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODYMENT

Reference will be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail, wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like of similar elements are designated by same or similar reference numeral through the several views and same or similar terminology.

Please referring to FIGS. 1-5, the bracket 100 of the present invention is used to package electrical connectors 4 and comprises a base 1, a cover 2 attached to the base 1, and a plurality of posts 3 for assembling the cover 2 to the base 1. Each electrical connector 4 is also accompanied with a back plate 5 which is isolated from the electrical connector 4 before mounting to a printed circuit board (not shown).

Please referring to FIGS. 2-3, the base 1 is made of insulative material and includes a mounting portion 10 and a receiving portion 11. A plurality of upper posts 121 and lower posts 120 extend from opposite sides of the base 1 at the corners thereof. The mounting portion 10 further comprises a pair of bridge portions 13 projecting upwardly whereby facilitate operator holding the bracket 100. The receiving portion 11 includes a plurality of lower beams 110 paralleled to each other and a plurality of sidewalls 115 perpendicular to the lower beams 110. The sidewalls 115 and the lower beams 110 jointly form a plurality of lower spaces 111. The base 1 further has a bottom plate 112 served as a bottom wall of each lower spaces 111. A pair of spacer bars 113 extends from the lower beams 110 and divides each lower space 111 into tow parts, i.e. a first space 1111 and a second space 1110. The sidewall 115 defines a protrusion 114 for sandwiching the back plate 5 with the spacer bar 113.

Please referring to FIG. 5, the cover 2 is also made of insulative material and includes a mounting portion 20 and a receiving portion 21. A plurality of through holes 220 are defined on the mounting portion 20 and corresponding to the upper posts 121 of the base 1. The receiving portion 21 includes a plurality of upper beams 210 paralleled to each other and a plurality of sidewalls 215 perpendicular to the upper beams 210. The sidewalls 215 and the upper beams 210 jointly form a plurality of upper spaces 211. A pair of spacer bars 213 extends from the upper beams 210 and divides each upper space 211 into tow parts, i.e. a third space 2111 and a fourth space 2110. The sidewall 215 also defines a protrusion 214 for sandwiching the back plate 5 with the spacer bar 213. A tab 2130 further extends from the beam 210 and into the third space 2111.

Please referring to FIG. 3, the posts 3 each include a head 30, a lower connecting section 31 for mating with the upper post 121 and a shoulder 32 located therebetween. The shoulder has a larger dimension than the head 30 and the lower connecting section 31 with a plurality of ribs 320 at lower end thereof. The posts 30 are inserted into the through holes 220 of the cover 2 from a top side thereof. Then the cover 2 and posts 3 are secured to the base 1 with the lower connecting section 31 engaging with the upper posts 121 of the base 1.

After assembling, the lower space 111 and the upper space 211 jointly form a compartment for receiving the electrical connector 4 and the back plate 5. The first space 1111 and the third space 2111 are used to accommodate the electrical connector 4. The second space 1110 and the fourth space 2110 are used to accommodate the back plate 5. The electrical connector 4 and the back plate 4 are put into the compartment from the top side and supported by the bottom plate 112. The back plate 5 and the electrical connector 4 are perpendicular to the bottom plate 112 and spaced by the spacer bars 113, 213. Furthermore, the planar back plate 5 is positioned by the spacer bars 113, 213, and the protrusions 114, 214. The posts 3 also can mate with the lower posts 120 of another base 2 thereby providing a plurality of stacked brackets.

When mount the electrical connectors 4 to the printed circuit board, the operator can press the cover 2 to move downwardly to the base 1 whereby expose the electrical connectors 4 and the back plates 5 for facilitating pick-up. The cover, base and post can be made of clean material for environmental protection. The electrical connector and the back plates can by put into the bracket by robot. The bracket not only can carry a large number of electrical connectors and back plates but also can prevent the electrical connectors and the back plates from scratching each other.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various alterations and modifications can be made to the embodiments without in any way departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A bracket for packaging electrical connectors comprising: a base having a bottom plate and a plurality of beams and sidewalls, the beams and sidewalls forming a plurality of lower spaces; a cover attached to the base and comprising a plurality of beams and sidewalls, the beams and sidewalls forming a plurality of upper spaces corresponding to the lower spaces, respectively; and a plurality of posts assembling the cover to the base; wherein the lower space of the base and the corresponding upper space of the cover jointly forming a compartment for accommodating an electrical connector therein.
 2. The bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom plate forms a bottom surface of the compartment.
 3. The bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beams are paralleled to each other and perpendicular to the sidewalls.
 4. The bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a plurality of upper posts extending upwardly therefrom, and the cover defines a plurality of through holes corresponding to the upper posts of the base.
 5. The bracket as claimed in claim 4, wherein the posts each include a lower connecting section mating with the upper post and a shoulder mating with the through holes of the cover.
 6. The bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a pair of bridge portions projecting upwardly therefrom at opposite sides thereof thereby to facilitate an operator to hold the bracket.
 7. The bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the cover and the base includes a plurality of spacer bars extending from the beams and dividing each upper space or lower space into tow parts for receiving two separated part of the electrical connector, respectively.
 8. The bracket as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one of the cover and the base includes a protrusion extending from the sidewall for sandwiching one of the separated part with the spacer bar.
 9. The bracket as claimed in claim 8, wherein said at least one of the cover and the base includes a tab extends from the beam for securing the other separated part of the electrical connector.
 10. A bracket for packaging electrical connectors having a mounting surface for mounting to a printed circuit board, comprising: a plurality of bases each defining a plurality of lower spaces; a plurality of covers each defining a plurality of upper spaces corresponding to the lower spaces; and a plurality of posts secured to the covers and the bases, wherein the bases and the covers are stacked and alternative arranged so that each base and the corresponding cover located thereon jointly defines a plurality of compartments for receiving the electrical connectors, respectively.
 11. The bracket as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base comprises a bottom plate to support the electrical connectors received in the compartments.
 12. The bracket as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base comprises a plurality of upper posts projecting upwardly, and the cover defines a plurality of through holes corresponding to the upper posts of the base.
 13. The bracket as claimed in claim 12, wherein the posts each include a lower connecting section mating with the upper post and a shoulder mating with the through holes of the cover.
 14. The bracket as claimed in claim 13, wherein the post further comprises a head extending upwardly from the shoulder portion, and each base includes a plurality of lower posts opposite to the upper posts to engage with the head portion.
 15. The bracket as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electrical connector are received in the compartments with the mounting surface thereof perpendicular to upper surface of the cover and the base.
 16. The bracket as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cover can be pushed downwardly along the posts so as to expose the electrical connector.
 17. A bracket assembly comprising: a planar lower base and a planar upper cover commonly defining a lengthwise direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to each other in a horizontal plane, and further commonly sandwiching, in a vertical direction perpendicular to both said lengthwise direction and said transverse direction, therebetween a plurality of posts which are located around a periphery of the assembled base and cover, a plurality of vertical dividers formed on both said base and said cover and extending in the transverse direction so as to forms therebetween, in the vertical direction, a plurality of vertical compartments along said lengthwise dierction for receiving corresponding electrical connectors therein, respectively; wherein said cover is moveable relative to the base in said vertical direction between upper and lower positions under condition that the cover and the base commonly retain a lower half portion of each of said connectors when said cover is located at the lower position while the cover and the base respectively retain an upper half portion and the lower half portion of each of said connector when said cover is located at the upper position.
 18. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said cover defines a plurality of through holes receiving the corresponding posts, respectively.
 19. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein one of said post and the corresponding through hole is radially shrinkable so as to allow said through hole may move downward along the post when said cover is moved from the upper position to the lower position.
 20. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one of said base and said cover defines a plurality of spacer bars each extending into the corresponding compartment for being located between a load plate and a stiffener of a same connector received in the corresponding compartment under condition that said stiffener and said load plate cooperate with each other to located an insulative housing of the same connector therebetween in said transverse direction. 